Westside Gunn Songs: Rapper's Best Collabs

Westside Gunn has accumulated a multitude of songs in his discography. The Griselda artist treats each one of his albums as a piece of art. This includes ones he released himself or others he executive produces. He has often spoken of taking pride in bringing artists together. Since he is into visual art, too, it’s only fitting he uses the term “curator” in his list of titles.

Over multiple projects, Westside has gotten features from expected and unexpected artists. Several names make multiple appearances even if years pass between them. Westside has built a reputation for himself and gained respect from multiple names in the rap world from the past and present. We’ve gathered some of the best collaborations across his continuously expanding discography.

This is a Westside Gunn song that needs no introduction. MF DOOM is respected, praised, and loved, and his legacy continues to shine despite his passing. Westside Gunn released a two-track pack with him, appropriately named WestsideDOOM. This is the first track in the pack, and Daringer produced it. The title comes from the wrestler of the same name. Any Westside Gunn listener knows he’s been referencing and sampling WWE/WWF his whole career. The eerie string, big loop, and dusty drums allow Westside and DOOM to deliver slower-paced flows. However, this makes their words stick, especially DOOM’s. His flow is even more calculated and delivered almost matter-of-factly. Rhymes are found at the beginning and end of several of his bars. Listeners praised Westside for crafting a verse that pairs well with DOOM’s, making this a universally celebrated track.

This Westside Gunn song has a legendary artist on it: Slick Rick. This track comes from Westside’s album, WHO MADE THE SUNSHINE. Additionally, this is Slick Rick’s second feature on the album. In this track, both Westside and Slick Rick are in their storytelling bags. Naturally, this stems from Slick Rick’s classic track “Children’s Story,” which Westside references in the final bar of his verse. The two tell vivid stories filled with imagery and a sequence of events that showcase their pen games. The fact each of their verses is part of the same story makes the track even more special. Producers Beat Butcha and Daringer provide a sparse eerie and grimy beat that enhances the mood of the stories they tell. Listeners were delighted to hear Slick Rick after all these years and they praised Westside for being able to secure a feature from him.

This is one of the shorter songs in Westside Gunn’s discography. Though that doesn’t stop its impact on listeners. Jay Electronica is one of the most elusive rappers in the game. His features are rare but have become more common since he finally released his album A Written Testimony in 2020. Jay Versace is on production on this track and samples a xylophone which makes it worth listening to based on that alone. Jay Electronica’s verse not only references other rappers but also pop culture subjects like Star Wars and actors. His delivery is effortless as he drops double entendres and wordplay techniques with smoothness and ease. Listeners have zoned in on the ones that resonate with them most. They also praised Westside for securing a feature from him and how each of their verses truly gave the song a '90s feel.

This song brings Westside Gunn and his labelmate Benny together with another New York native, Jadakiss. At just under five minutes, it is one of the longest songs on this list but it’s worth the runtime. When this was released in 2018, many hailed it as Benny’s best verse or even the best verse of the year. The way his flow complimented the eerie sample loop from producer Daringer causes listeners to not even realize his verse is around two minutes long.

Additionally, Benny’s verse shares info on his past and present in both the rap and drug games. Jadakiss’ addition is just as cold and straightforward. He even throws in a flow switch in his verse’s final moments without comprising the grime of his delivery and subject matter. Westside’s verse is last on this one which shows him prioritizing his features, something that he is known to do.

This is another Westside Gunn song where he lets the featured artist have their time to shine. Boldly’s lyrical content outshines his significantly. He weaves in biblical references and punchlines with his usual coke rap subject matter. This is a testament to his skill as a writer and also shows he either was heavily exposed to the Bible growing up or he still reads it regularly today.

This is easily one of the more unique beats on this list as well. Camoflauge Monk provides a sample loop that’s not exactly melodic but still has percussion. Additionally, the percussion is not even from drums but from what sounds like cymbals clashing. He paired these with some guitar strums and an eerie synth. The fact the two of them could rap over it shows they have mastered the art of unique beat selection and listeners can attest to this.

This Westside Gunn song has been praised for two reasons, both of which are the performances from the features. Listeners have praised 2 Chainz for several of his features across the years and cited this one as an example. Listeners also praised Armani Caesar's feature and saw it as solidifying her place on the Griselda label. Hers is the unique verse on the track because of a special arrangement. It has background vocalizations on it from Armani herself. Her harmonies playing while she raps is something most listeners have never heard before. Her delivery was in her aggressively confident lane, while 2 Chainz was more energetic with his flows but still impactful. Camoflauge Monk’s looped string sample gives the song a faint eerie feeling.

This song comes from one of the more divisive albums in Westside Gunn’s discography. Titled Peace “Fly” God, the album is ten tracks and, according to Westside himself, was made in two days. Despite listeners' opinions on the whole project, this track stands out for almost everyone. Legendary producer Madlib provided the beat for this one, and that alone is enough for many of them to rate it so highly. His samples all sound like they came from a late-night lounge performance. This contrasts Stove God’s creatively violent hook well, whose energy stays low-key. However, Westside Gunn brings his usual high-volume flow, whose imagery contrasts the subtle mood while aligning with it in other moments. This track is another reason listeners continue to wait for the Madlib and Westside Gunn collab project, GunnLib.

This song introduced Westside Gunn to many. With features from Joey and Tyler, he brought their listeners into his world. This song comes from his album Pray for Paris, whose sequel And Then You Pray For Me releases June 23, 2023. The song’s production comes from his frequent collaborator, Camoflauge Monk. He crafted a moderately paced luxurious track for the four artists to rap over. The keys are spaced out and glisten across the subtle boom-bap drums. Billie Essco’s relaxed hook helps keep the mood calm throughout the track. Each artist brings their own flavor to the track, contrasting in subject matter, delivery, and flow. This makes the track unique because it is still cohesive. After all, one theme remains constant amongst them: luxury. 

This is one of the best songs in Westside Gunn’s discography-and it almost wasn’t even in his. Listeners have praised this verse as the best verse in Conway’s career. The subject is centered around Conway speaking about how he was shot, which led to Bell's Palsy, losing his cousin MachineGun Black and the things he went through after it. His album, God Don’t Make Mistakes, builds on his speaking on most of these topics. This makes sense, considering he revealed this song was supposed to be the intro track for that album. Considering all of this, many listeners did not like Westside Gunns’ verse on the song. He does not follow Conway's path and doesn't deliver a sentimental, heartfelt verse. However, the production delivers these emotions, which listeners rely on to keep the mood intact when listening.

What are some of your favorite Westside Gunn collaborative tracks? Let us know in the comments section.

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